BRITAIN'S most prestigious wildfowl charity has been mutilating thousands of birds by unlawfully chopping off parts of their wings to prevent them flying away.

An investigation has found that the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, which owns some of the country¹s most popular water reserves, has been amputating the wings of newly hatched chicks without any supervision by vets, as is required by law.

Instead, the trust, one of Prince Philip's favourite charities, has been allowing cheaper unqualified staff to carry out the procedure in the genuine belief it was legal.

The operation, known as pinioning, involves amputating the end of a young bird's wing with sharp scissors and has been taking place at the trust's world famous water reserves and at other zoos for decades.

The trust had been advised it was allowed to pinion a chick's wing without using a vet so long as the bird was under 10 days old, but when presented with a statement from the Department for Food and Rural Affairs by the Sunday Express last Friday, it decided to change its policy "with immediate effect".

"I am deeply concerned," trust chief executive Martin Spray said.

The investigation had been carried out by the Captive Animals Protection Society, which was concerned about the sight of lopsided birds at water reserves and zoos.

More than a million people a year visit the nine reserves run by the trust, which was founded in 1946 by late ornithologist and war hero Sir Peter Scott, the son of Antarctic explorer Captain Robert Scott.

The Queen acts as patron, while the Duke of Edinburgh, who was a close friend of Sir Peter, is a past president.

It earns £17million a year and its sites include the London Wetland Centre in Barnes and a flagship reserve in Slimbridge, Gloucestershire.

Of the 150,000 birds currently at its sites, some 5,600 have been pinioned, according to latest records.

However, what most visitors do not realise is many of the flamingos, cranes, ducks and other species they come to admire have never flown, nor ever will.

They have been maimed and deprived of their natural instincts to fly in the name of conservation and to allow visitors to see them up close.

At just a few days old, the trust's staff will have severed the end of one wing at the carpel joint where the primary flight feathers grow.

CAPS director Liz Tyson said: "This allows zoos and wildlife parks to keep flamingos and other exotic species in open-top enclosures, giving the misleading impression to visitors that the birds could fly away if they chose to.

"In fact these birds can never fly away, nor can they ever be released to the wild.

"That the zoo industry deems this amputation as a legitimate means to hold thousands of birds captive is horrifying."

Her group's call to outlaw the practice has won support from celebrities, including Ricky Gervais, who said: "The idea of amputating part of an animal's limb in order to keep it in captivity is unacceptable."

The umbrella advice body for zoos, the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), insist pinion birds do not feel distress and grow accustomed to being flightless.

Pinioning is formally classified under the law as a 'mutilation' and while it is illegal for farmed birds, there are exceptions for zoos.

However, under the Veterinary Surgeons Act of 1966, only qualified vets can carry out the operation.

When initially challenged on this by CAPS, both the trust and BIAZA were adamant they were following the law.

The trust told CAPS: "Our practitioners have many more years of experience in this specialist field than most vets so it is our practitioners who carry out the process."

However, a Defra spokesman told the Sunday Express: "Wing-pinioning is veterinary surgery and can only be carried out by veterinary surgeons.

"If anyone has concerns that wing-pinioning is being carried out by unqualified people they should report them to their local authority to investigate."

A pinioned goose

That the zoo industry deems this amputation as a legitimate means to hold thousands of birds captive is horrifying

Liz Tyson, CAPS director

When shown this statement, trust boss Martin Spray said: "The health of wetlands and water birds is our priority.

"Water birds spend up to 95 per cent of their time in and around water, pinioning allows us to provide them with large habitats in which they thrive rather than restricting them to small pools enclosed in aviaries.

"The process is quick and safe and the birds behave in a normal manner immediately after release.

"Our aviculturists only conduct the procedure after specialist training and supervision and many years of handling and caring for water birds.

"We have always been advised by a senior vet at the Royal College that they are authorised to do this.

"Our care for our birds' welfare is regularly inspected under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 and this was never queried.

"I am deeply concerned that we have received mixed advice about complying with the legislation.

"We are open and honest in everything we do. Having seen this new information, of course I will stop non-qualified vets from carrying out this procedure, with immediate effect."

A BIAZA spokeswoman added: "We are currently seeking clarification from Defra.

"If Defra's advice differs from our policy, we will review and amend it."